


haven't you heard

by allwaswell16



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: 5 Times, Birthday, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Did I mention fluff?, Established Relationship, Fluff, Holidays, Humor, I may have accidentally written a Niall fic disguised as a Larry fic, London, M/M, Marriage Proposal, New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff, Niall is in love with their love, Niall the legend, POV Harry, POV Louis, POV Multiple, POV Niall, Photographer Harry, Teacher Louis, Winter, minor side Ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-08-31 04:08:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8563441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allwaswell16/pseuds/allwaswell16
Summary: Harry Styles has been in love with Louis Tomlinson since they were eighteen.  After six years together, Harry is ready to propose to the love of his life. The holidays strike him as the perfect time for a romantic proposal, but his well-meaning friends and family (including his self-appointed best friend, Niall) seem to thwart him at every turn.Or the four times Harry tries to propose, and the one time he gets it right.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [suspendrs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/suspendrs/gifts).



> This fic is not the kind I typically write, so I hope I did your prompt justice, suspendrs! All the love. xx
> 
> Title is from the song 'Rumour Has It' by Adele.

 

 **Spotify playlist:** [haven't you heard](https://play.spotify.com/user/all_was_well_16/playlist/5uMTq5UV28FpSoHz91eyuJ)

 

*** 

A cold winter gust of London air rattles through Harry as he makes his way from the taxi and into the building. He can almost taste the storm brewing. Not that Harry doesn’t love winter here, it’s just sometimes hard to go from a photo shoot in Ibiza to imminent snow at home. He slings his bags of photography equipment over his shoulder and rolls his suitcase  past the ever broken lift until he reaches the staircase. He hauls his case and bags up two flights before cursing the day he talked Louis into renting this place. He can never complain about it unless he wants to hear Louis sing the “I Told You So” song. Louis even has a dance that goes with it. Such is life when your boyfriend is a drama teacher.

Harry sighs when he reaches the door to their flat and sees the door swung wide open. He knows it’s not Louis who has left it this way. He’s already texted to say he’d be late with last minute rehearsals for the school production of _A Christmas Carol_.

He drops his suitcase by the door and stores his equipment in the entryway closet before calling out at the intruder. “Niall! You here?”

“In here, mate!” Niall calls out.

Harry follows the voice into his own bedroom. “Niall, why are you going through my pants?” he asks as he watches Niall throw pairs of boxer briefs to the floor.

“Looking for chocolate. I know you hide it in here sometimes so Lou doesn’t eat it all.”

“I know this is pointless to point out yet again, but could you please not come in our home when we aren’t around?”

Niall laughs. “Good one, Hazza. Well, well, well. What have we here?”

Harry slumps onto the bed. “Did you find chocolate then? Fine, take it.”

Niall turns around, his eyes open wide. “No, but I found this!” Niall pops open a small jewelry box that holds a man’s silver wedding band. “Is this what I think it is?” Niall says.

Harry pops up out of bed. “Niall! Fuck, you didn’t see that, okay?”

“Oh, I saw it all right! Can’t unsee that, mate!” Niall throws himself across the bed, still holding the box open peering at the ring with hearts in his eyes. “So when are we doing this? Do you have a plan? Let’s plan it now!”

Harry snatches the box out of his hands. “Niall, I’m warning you. Do not interfere with this. I’m not telling you the plan. Just—pretend you didn’t see this. And don’t tell anyone, for fuck’s sake.”

Niall turns his lips upside down into a pout, his sad eyes pleading. “But Harry, I think we should really talk about how we’re going to propose to Lou.”

“Niall.”

“Yes?”

“You’re not proposing to Louis.”

“Well, not all on my own. Of course not. You’ll be there, too!”

“Niall!”

“What?”

“‘ _We’_ are not proposing to Louis. _I_ am proposing to Louis.”

Niall sniffs. “Fine. I see how it is. Cutting me out of the fun--your oldest friend.”

“You’re not my oldest friend. We’ve only known you for the eight months we’ve lived in this flat.”

Niall sniffs again. “Fine. Your best friend, then.”

“Niall. Jesus, just please, don’t say anything. To anyone. Please, I’m begging you. I want this to be a surprise. I want it to be perfect. So please, please just forget about this. Let me do this my way with no interference.”

Niall sighs dramatically. “Fine. I am your best friend after all. Don’t worry, H. My lips are sealed.”

***

Niall strides into the pub and glances around until he sees the red hair he’s looking for. He spots Ed and drops into the seat across from him. He slides Ed’s plate across the table and grabs some of his chips, stuffing them in his mouth. “So guess what I discovered?” Niall asks, crumbs tumbling to the table.

Ed pulls his plate back across the table. “I dunno, Niall. It appears you’ve discovered where I eat when I’m recording nearby.”

Niall scoffs. “That’s hardly a discovery, mate. I’ve got something way bigger than that.”

Ed raises an eyebrow. “Is that right?”

“Yep. We’re getting engaged!”

“Ehm. We are?”

“We are! I found an engagement ring hidden in Harry’s knickers!”

“I don’t even know what to say to that if I’m honest.”

“Edward! Aren’t you excited? When do you suppose he’s going to do it?”

“When who is doing what?”

Niall slaps a hand to the table. “Jesus, Ed.  Are you not even listening? Harry’s going to propose to Louis!”

“Ah! That’s great news then! When’s he going to propose?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying, Ed. I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me. Says he wants it to be a “surprise” and a “secret” and doesn’t want “interference” and not to “tell anyone Niall for fuck’s sake”,” Niall replies in his best Harry voice, his fingers slashing quotation marks into the air.

“That’s a great impersonation, actually.”

“Thanks, I’ve been working on it.”

“Well, sounds like we should just let it be then.”

Niall looks at him incredulously. “Please tell me that’s a joke.”

Ed shrugs. Niall wonders how he can even conceive of doing nothing about this.

“We need to be there when it happens! We should be a part of it! We’re their friends! I’m their very best friend!”

“Louis’ best friend is Zayn.”

Niall scowls. “What’s your point?”

“Just that that’s how I even know them in the first place. I started writing songs with Liam, and Zayn’s his boyfriend. And then I met Louis because he’s Zayn’s best friend.”

“I’m still not seeing your point.”

“Harry’s best friend is Nick Grimshaw,” Ed points out.

Niall narrows his eyes. “Celebrity best friends don’t count.”

“Well, what the hell am I then?”

“Exactly. Anyway, when is Liam getting here?”

“How do you know Liam’s com—“

The door to the pub opens and a rush of winter air blows in with Liam and Zayn as they walk across the pub. Niall grins at Ed. He can hardly contain his excitement.

“Boys! I’ve got news!” Niall announces as soon as they near the table.

“Christ. Let me get a pint first. I’ve had a hell of a day,” Zayn says.

Liam shoots him a sympathetic look and turns to them to say, “End of term projects always stress him out.”

Niall purses his lips. They’re bringing down his euphoria over knowing everything first. “You teach art,” he says.

Zayn glares at him. “Yes, I do. What are you implying, Niall?”

Niall decides to let that slide in favour of blurting out his news. “Nothing. You can have a pint as soon as I tell you that…Larry is getting engaged!”

“Who’s Larry?” Liam asks. Zayn shrugs, seemingly uninterested. Ed just laughs.

Niall shakes his head at them all. “Larry! As in Louis and Harry. You know—Larry. It’s like their couple name.”

Liam looks perplexed. “Who calls them Larry? I don’t call them Larry, do you?” he asks Zayn.

Zayn rolls his eyes. “’Course not.”

“I’m not calling them Larry,” Liam declares. “I don’t need more reasons for Louis to slap me upside the head.”

“GAHHH!” Niall shouts. He jumps up from the table. “You’re all missing the damn point! They’re getting engaged! Harry’s gonna propose! I found the ring in his pants!” He huffs out a breath and feels a bit better. Well, enough to sit down again anyway.

“Ah!” Liam says. His eyes crinkle as he smiles. Niall loves when Liam’s face looks like that. Finally, someone gets it. “Well, that is wonderful news then! Is it a surprise? I can’t wait to hear how it goes!”

Niall is appalled. What is wrong with these people? “Hear how it goes? Liam, mate, we should be there. We should be part of it! I’M HIS BEST FRIEND!”

Liam furrows his eyebrows. “Which one?”

“Both of them—“  Niall starts.

“Neither of them—“ Zayn says at the same time.

Niall commits to his best glower.

Zayn smirks. “You’re about as tough as a kitten, mate. Sorry, Louis is mine, pal. Honestly, you should all be thanking me. He’s a handful.”

There’s a round of murmured agreement.

“And mate, you wouldn’t want to be Harry’s best friend either. He’d be taking you to fashion shows and vintage shops. Best leave that to Grimshaw,” Zayn advises.

Niall sighs. Zayn’s got a point.

***

Louis eats without tasting a bite of his food. His mind whirs with all the last minute preparations that come along with a secondary school theatre production. It takes a while, but he finally notices Zayn watching him. He stares back.

“Yes?”

“Huh?”

“You’re staring at me. I know I’m pretty, but I thought you’d finally become immune to my beauty.”

Zayn snorts. “We have all the set pieces painted. We’ll bring them by this afternoon.”

“That’s not why you were looking at me though.”

Zayn gives him a strange look he doesn’t know how to interpret. It’s unsettling. He can usually sense what Zayn is thinking at any given moment.

“Ehm, so—you and Harry.”

Louis pauses, waiting for the rest of the sentence. It doesn’t seem to be forthcoming. “Uh, yeah. Me and Harry. Me and Harry, what?”

“So like, you’re both alright and all that?” Zayn looks up as he asks as though he’ll find the answer on the ceiling.

“Well—I’m stressed. So I don’t know how “alright” I am at the moment. But yeah, other than that, I guess.”

“So like it’s pretty serious between you two then?”

Okay, this is getting seriously weird. “That’s seriously weird, Zayn. We’ve been living together for almost a year. He’s been my boyfriend for six years. Ed and Liam wrote a hit song about how we’ve been in love since we were eighteen. I think it might be serious.”

“Okay, so you’re like happy then. Great.”

 _What?_ “What?”

Zayn shrugs. “I dunno. Just like checking in or whatever. Thought I’d ask.”

“It took you six years to ask if I was happy with my relationship?”

Zayn shrugs again.

“Well, I am. I guess. I mean, mostly.” He frowns. He’s happy with Harry. Isn’t he? “Well, we’re both busy, but he does work a lot. And travels a lot for work. Sort of the nature of what he does as a photographer, I suppose.”

“Yeah. So have you guys discussed the future then? Like made plans?”

Louis stares at Zayn. He and Harry almost never argue, but their last argument had been pretty major. Louis swallows hard. “Um, well, it’s a little hard to discuss the future when your boyfriend is flying all over the world.” He can hear the bitterness in his own voice. “It’s fine though. Harry would rather ignore the fact that he’s constantly tired, we never have time to take a holiday together, and we couldn’t possibly have time to plan a wedding much less a marriage.”

Zayn looks shell shocked.

“Look, it’s not like I resent Harry’s work. It’s just—I don’t know. I’m just going to get through the holidays, and then, we’ll see where we’re at. We’ll have to see what our priorities are.” Louis stands up. “Well, I’d better get back to work.”

Louis walks down the hallways back towards the auditorium. That was such a strange conversation with Zayn. Slightly upsetting if he’s honest. Oh well, he and Harry will figure it out. They always do. It won’t be like this forever. Maybe Harry will get that promotion he’s after sooner rather than later. He begins humming ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’ and doesn’t give it another thought.

***

“I think Louis is going to break up with Harry after the holidays.”

“What?” Ed looks up at Zayn.

“What?!” Liam exclaims.

“WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Niall jumps up from the couch and shakes Zayn by the shoulders. “WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!!!!!! WHAT’S HAPPENING?!!!!!!! HELP!!! WHY, GOD, WHY?!!! LOVE IS DEAD!!!!!” He throws himself face first onto the couch, his legs flopping across Ed.

Ed nudges Niall off of him. “So what makes you think Louis is going to break up with Harry?”

“Well, I talked to him yesterday about Harry. And like, he said some stuff about how they have no time together. And some stuff about Harry’s job, and he seemed kinda upset. And then, he said he was gonna get through the holidays and see where they were at after that. But you know, he didn’t sound like a bloke who was waiting for a proposal or about to say yes to one.”

“Okay, so maybe this is just a misunderstanding, though,” Ed reasons.

“It doesn’t sound great,” Liam says, his furrowed eyebrows making an appearance.

Niall moans into the cushions.

“So, like, should we do anything or—“ Zayn begins.

Niall jumps back off the couch. “WE CAN’T LET HARRY PROPOSE! We have to stop him! If he proposes and Lou says no, that’ll be the end of it. The end of everything! THE END OF LARRY! We can’t let this happen. We need to get them through the holidays, and then we’ll regroup. We need a plan. We need to keep Harry from doing anything, and we need to remind Louis he’s in love with Harry.” Niall paces back and forth across the room. “We need to hypothesize where and when we think Harry will propose and thwart his efforts. We can’t let love die on our watch!”

***

“Ed, mate, this was so nice of you to throw me a party on my birthday. I mean, it’s Christmas Eve. I don’t usually have a party. Don’t want to be an imposition. But I have to say, it’s actually kind of nice.” Louis’ eyes crinkle at the corners. It’s Harry’s favourite Louis smile, and he’s suddenly happy that his plans to propose over a candlelit dinner aren’t happening tonight. It’s nice to be able to honour Louis with all their friends on his actual birthday for once.

“Sure, Lou. I have the biggest house, so Niall didn’t give me much choice,” he trails off.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Harry tucks an arm around Louis’ waist. “Well, I had an amazing romantic dinner planned, but it can wait. We’ll just bring everything to my mum’s house tomorrow, so the food won’t go to waste.”

“Sorry, H,” Ed says. His eyes don’t hold their usual luster as they stare at Harry’s hand, his fingers still resting in the curve of Louis’ body. Is Ed feeling badly that he’s accidentally interrupted their dinner?

“It’s fine,” he reassures him.  “Louis should be celebrated. Everyday. And often.” He waggles his eyebrows at Louis.

Louis rolls his eyes and steps out of Harry’s hold. “How you made ‘celebrated’ sound dirty, I have no idea.” Louis darts away as Harry reaches out to hold on. Harry watches as Louis throws himself dramatically into Nick’s arms. “Save me from your lecherous friend!”

Nick looks down at Louis, amused, but he closes his arms around him protectively.

A voice sounds in Harry’s ear. “What does Grimmy think he’s doing?”

“Niall! Fuck.You scared me.”

“Well, what is that tall bleached blonde wanker up to with Louis?”

Harry stares at Niall. “Well, for one, you also have bleached blonde hair, so I don’t know that you want to make that an insult.”

“Pshhhh. Mine’s not all bleached, and it’s my natural colour in my heart.”

“I have no idea what that even means. Also, that wanker is my best friend.”

“Don’t start with that rubbish again,” Niall replies, staring daggers at Nick. Harry wonders how it’s possible that Niall’s behaviour has grown stranger.

“Anyway, so what’s the proposal plan? I think you should wait. Let’s just plan on waiting for a bit. You know, after the holidays.”

“What?” Harry looks at him in astonishment.  “I thought you were so excited about it. Do I even want to know why you want me to wait now?”

An odd look crosses Niall’s face. “Ha ha! No, no, no. It’s nothing. Just want it all to be special. Want to keep the love alive!”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say the words ‘ha ha’ instead of actually laughing. And I don’t know at all what you’re talking about.”

“Just think about it, Harry. Don’t you want it to be meaningful? I think you just need some more time to plan it out. Plan something extravagantly romantic.”

Maybe Niall has a point. Maybe he should put some more thought into it. He watches as Niall sprints across the room to jump on Grimmy’s back, effectively breaking his hold on Louis. Nick grabs Niall and holds him upside down as Louis starts drumming out a rhythm across Niall’s bum and Niall howls in outrage. Yes, Niall’s right. Louis deserves something dramatic and special. He’ll have to think more on it.

***

Louis loves Christmas in Holmes Chapel. If he can’t be with his own family on Christmas, this is exactly where he likes to be. He glances around the room and realises he has come to consider them his family as well. He wonders when that even happened. Probably years ago. He watches Harry, slightly tipsy and pink cheeked, telling horribly corny jokes to Robin whilst he and Anne flit in and out of the kitchen to check on the others. He should probably help out, but first he needs to wee.

Louis walks into the hallway towards the loo when he overhears Gemma on her mobile. “Yes, Niall. I remember. Can I go enjoy Christmas with my family now?” She pauses, listening to his response. “Oh my god. No, I’m not—Okay, I’m hanging up now.” She presses end on the call and sees Louis standing there.

He raises an eyebrow curiously. “You talk to Niall on the phone now?”

“I—I—yes?” She answers. “Ehm. Niall and I are friendly. Friends. He was just calling to wish me a happy Christmas.”

“Friendly?” Louis smirks. “Sure.”

“Oh god. It’s not what you think. I’m not—“ Gemma stops and looks at Louis with a curious expression for a moment. “Lou, I just want you to know that I consider you family. We all do.”

“Um, thanks, Gem. I think of you all as my family, too.”

Gemma places her hands on his shoulders. “I just want to make sure you know how important you are to all of us. You’d never break our hearts, right?”

“What?” Louis says, confused, as Gemma releases him and walks down the hallway. So strange. Louis shakes his head and uses the loo before returning to the kitchen.

He helps Anne set the place settings and carry in the trays of food. Everyone gathers round the table as Harry stands to make a toast. Gemma jumps up from her chair. “Hey, H. Mind if I do the toast this year?”

“Oh,” Harry says as he looks at her in surprise. But he dutifully sits back down. “Sure, Gem. Go on then.”

Louis exchanges glances with Harry as Gemma waxes poetic about nearly every single thing she could possibly remember from the past year, much of which includes every time she saw Louis and how important a role he plays in their family. Louis can feel his ears begin to turn a bit pink, but Harry just slides his hand over his and gives a squeeze. The length of her toast precludes anyone else from giving one as no one wants a perfectly good Christmas turkey to grow cold.

Louis gorges himself on roast potatoes and turkey and sausage rolls and spiced red cabbage as well as as much Christmas pudding as he can stomach without it coming back up. A nap is suddenly sounding like a very good plan, but Gemma seems to be full of ideas today.

“Please guys, please! Please Lou? Harry? For nostalgia’s sake?”

“I’m fine with watching Disney movies if it means I don’t have to leave this couch,” Louis moans pressing a hand to his tummy. Louis snuggles into Harry’s outstretched arms and Harry places a large hand across Louis’ hand and full tummy. They fall asleep halfway through The Little Mermaid, but Louis doesn’t really care. Later, Harry finally rouses him enough to be able to carry him to his old childhood bedroom, Louis nestling in closer to his chest. And he is none the wiser that an engagement ring has been burning a hole in Harry’s pocket all day.

***

“Lou? Looouuuu. Time to get up, love,” Harry says as he brushes a kiss across Louis’ forehead. Louis doesn’t stir. He stretches and goes for a wee and comes back to a still sleeping boyfriend in his bed. Harry sits back down on the bed and just admires him for a while. In a very short amount of time, he will be calling this man his fiancée, and then, finally, his husband. A slow smile spreads across his face at the thought.

A sleepy blue eye opens a bit and catches him. “I thought the days where you stare creepily at me as I sleep were over.”

“Never, love,” Harry laughs. “Will still be watching you sleep when we’re eighty.”

Louis smiles, but then his eyes drift closed again.

“Ah, ah, ah, Lou. We need to get going. I want to be at your mum’s fairly early this morning to help with the food.”

Louis groans, but Harry knows he understands they need to leave early this morning. It’s nearly impossible to cook a large feast with young children around. Jay definitely needs reinforcements. Harry smiles down fondly at the most beautiful face he’s ever seen and sets an alarm for five minutes on his phone. He quickly turns the volume up as far as it goes, chooses ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me,’ and sets it next to Louis’ head on the pillow. He leaves the room to go rustle up some breakfast and tea before their trek to Doncaster.

A few minutes later brings the not so gentle stylings of Def Leppard, a loud shout, and a thump. Louis walks into the room a few minutes after that, adorably rumpled and grumpy. Wordlessly, Louis accepts the mug of Yorkshire from him and uses his other hand to raise his middle finger. He plops down into a chair and sips his tea. Harry places a fry up in front of Louis, but before he can begin to eat, Harry brushes his thumb across Louis’ cheek. Louis looks up at him, his eyes suddenly soft. Harry kisses him, intending only to impart a moment of sweetness, but Louis deepens the kiss and Harry finds himself seated in his lap, his hands in his hair.

The clearing of a throat in the doorway causes Harry to break the kiss with a gasp. He clambers off of Louis and looks at Gemma leaning against the curve of the arch leading into the kitchen. She smiles thoughtfully at them. “Good morning, lovebirds.”

Harry blushes and sits down in his own chair this time to eat and to also perhaps adjust himself a bit under the table.

“Leaving soon then?” Gemma asks as she rummages through the cupboard for a mug.

“My mum’s managed to coordinate us all being together today, so I guess we need to be up at the crack of dawn to make the most of it.”

“It’s seven o’clock, Louis. Hardly the crack of dawn,” Harry reminds him.

“Close enough,” Louis grumbles.

“Well, it’s quite a feat that she’s managed to gather the lot of you up in the same place at the same time, so I’m going to have to side with Harry on this one.”

“Traitor,” Louis mumbles.

Gemma laughs. “Traitor? I know you have so many sisters, you can hardly keep track, but I’m fairly certain I’m Harry’s.”

“Eh, soon enough you’ll be yet another sister. And besides, we all know you like me best,” Louis scoffs as he stands up and places his now empty plate in the sink.

Harry looks at Gemma in surprise as she squeezes Louis into a hug. “I knew there was nothing to worry about,” she says. With a wink, she takes her mug of tea and heads back to her bedroom.

“What was that about?” Harry wonders aloud.

“No idea,” Louis says, unfazed.

***

They make the journey to Doncaster in just over two hours, so Harry is quite happy with how quickly they’ve managed to arrive. They walk into the chaotic frenzy of Louis’ family members, the scent of roast beef permeating the house, toys strewn about, and a Christmas tree laying on its side. Harry’s heart smiles as he watches Louis take in the scene before him. He surveys the room as though looking upon the faces of angels.

Dan has a twin in each arm and looks at their entrance with relief. He immediately hands them off to Louis and resets the Christmas tree into its proper position.

“I’m gonna go help your mum, love,” Harry says as he gives Louis a quick peck on the lips.

“Kisses!” Doris squeals, still in Louis’ arms.

“I’d not forget you, love,” Harry says as he kisses a soft cheek. He kisses Ernie’s plump one as well and hurries off to help Jay with the rest of the preparations.

He’s greeted with more relief and a warm hug and immediately put to work. He dices carrots as he and Jay discuss Phoebe’s and Daisy’s schooling. He chops parsnips as she catches him up on Fizzy’s latest crush. And as he prepares the trifle, he asks Jay for her blessing to propose to her son. She drops the whisk she’s using to beat the Yorkshire pudding with a clang onto the floor and lets out a loud, “Oh!” as she wraps Harry into a bone crushing embrace. Tears stream down her face as every member of her family appears in the kitchen, curious and concerned at the commotion.

“Oh, go away all of you!” she exclaims through her tears, laughter in her voice. “Can’t you see we’re having a moment?”

Louis smiles at him, an eyebrow raised. Harry smiles back and gives him a small wave, still in his mother’s arms. They all scatter until only Lottie remains in the kitchen. She watches them suspiciously. “So what’s this all about?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Jay insists, releasing Harry and wiping her eyes. “Can’t I hug the people I love and have a moment with them?”

Harry gives Lottie a blinding smile.

***

Louis has put the babies in bed for their naps and finds Lottie in the living room curled up in a chair, texting at a furious pace.

Louis plops down on a sofa across from her. “Who are you texting?”

Lottie looks up and sighs loudly. “Oh, it’s just Niall.” She rolls her eyes.

“Niall?” he asks incredulously. “Why is Niall texting you? What the bloody hell is that about? Why has Niall infiltrated every part of my existence?”

Lottie just shrugs. “Can I ask you something?”

Louis is still pondering when Niall inserted himself into every corner of his life, but answers, “Of course.”

“You and Harry? You’re alright, right?”

Louis huffs out a short laugh. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Well, I actually think I have an idea about why that is, but answer the question please.”

Louis looks at her in surprise. “Oh. Sure. Yes, we’re fine, Lots. Things haven’t been—perfect lately. But I don’t have even one doubt in my mind that we’ll get through it. He’s just been working so much that we haven’t had a lot of time together. But he’s trying. He took the holidays off so he could spend more time with me, and maybe he’ll get an editor’s position soon that won’t take him away so much.” He pauses. “He’s THE guy, you know? The one for me. The only one.”

Lottie smiles. “Yes, I know. Just making sure you knew, too.”

As the afternoon turns to dusk, Louis can tell Harry keeps trying to have a word with him. But there are children to be played with and fingernails to be painted and hair to be plaited and stories to be told and more gifts to be unwrapped. Not much time for a private moment. They have a kiss under the mistletoe and for a brief moment Harry looks at him a bit nervously, but then he’s whisked away to lend his voice to stuffed animals.

The young ones are tucked into bed as the rest of them sip warm spiced mulled wine and tell stories and play board games well into the night. Harry has a few too many glasses, and Louis decides that they should head to bed. “But I was going to do—something,” Harry insists.

Lottie looks up at him. “There’s plenty of time, Harry. Wait until it’s the right moment.”

Harry nods gravely as Louis throws her a strange look and helps Harry up from his chair and into the guest bedroom. They undress each other slowly in between long wine soaked kisses before falling into the bed, giggling at nothing.

***

Louis paws through their closet looking for something to wear to this New Year’s Eve party. Something nice. Grimmy’s parties are always fairly posh. He finds a black graphic t-shirt to wear under his black blazer and decides it will look well enough with black skinnies if he does his hair into a quiff. He throws the clothes onto the bed and begins pulling his jeans up over his thighs when Harry appears, fresh from the shower. He nonchalantly saunters across the bedroom, nude, over towards the wardrobe, the only towel covering him wrapped around his hair. He’s whistling, but Louis can’t place the tune whilst all the blood in his head travels south.

He has suddenly forgotten that he’s still a bit bothered that Harry went into the office yesterday after promising to take time off to spend the holidays with him. He knows they haven’t sorted out all their issues yet, but all these thoughts have vanished with the appearance of tattoos that only Louis has access to seeing. Without buttoning his jeans, he walks up behind Harry and presses himself against his back, his hands gliding down Harry’s torso as Harry melts back into him. The whistling stops as Louis presses his lips to the side of Harry’s neck and across his broad shoulders, his deft fingers finding their destination.

“We’re going to be late,” Harry says in a low growl.

“Feels like you don’t mind,” Louis replies.

“God, no,” Harry moans. “Don’t mind.”

***

They can hear the party as they near Nick’s house. Nick swings open the door wearing a gleaming olive blazer, shining with black checks, a pair of red earphones hung around his neck. “Hiya! Happy New Year’s!”

“You’re DJing your own party? Shoulda hired someone,” Louis says as they’re ushered through the door.

“I trust no one but myself with the perfect blend of party music,” Nick replies. “Niall! Step away from the music! Sorry, if you’ll just excuse me for a moment—NIALL!” Nick strides across the room to put a stop to whatever it is Niall’s attempting. He doesn’t need to worry though. Once Niall sees Harry and Louis enter, he makes a beeline for them.

“Happy New Year’s to my favourite couple! I banged on your door yesterday, but it was locked. And my key was sticking or somethin’. Couldn’t get in.”

“Hmmm. Curious,” Harry replies with a small grin. “Shall I get us a drink, Lou?”

“Please,” Louis says with a smile before he wanders over to Liam and Zayn with Niall at his heels.

“So how was Christmas at the Payne’s?”

Liam grins brightly. “They all loved him. Just like I knew they would.”

Louis looks at Zayn. “They were—something. Very—friendly.”

“Not sure how you made friendly sound like a bad thing, but you’ve managed it, mate,” Louis snorts.

“Heyyyy,” Liam complains. “He liked them. Right, Zayn?”

“Ehm, yes?” Zayn glances at Liam. “Yes. Really. They’re very nice people. Very nice. Very friendly.”

Harry hands Louis a glass of champagne. “Are we talking about Liam’s family then? They’re a very—friendly bunch.” Zayn shoots him a nasty look. “What? They are! We met them many a time during uni. They visited. A lot.”

“Well, you know what they say about meeting the parents,” Niall states.

Zayn turns to look at him curiously. “No, what do they say?”

“Well, if you’ve met the parents, an engagement is on the way in the next year.” Niall waggles his eyebrows up and down.

Zayn snorts. “That’s rubbish, Niall. And who is ‘they’ anyway?” But he doesn’t see Liam’s face betraying his thoughts behind him.

Louis rolls his eyes. “Well, Harry and I met the family ages ago, and we’re not engaged. Your theory’s false, Nialler.”

Niall stares at him hard. “No, you’re not engaged,” he bites out. Niall gives a strange look to Harry, but before Louis can ask about it, Niall has somehow corralled him into taking shots of tequila in Grimmy’s kitchen. Niall has created some drinking game around singing Irish traditional songs, and Louis is losing, badly.

Liam and Ed come to rescue him eventually. Through the haze of tequila, Louis can sense they’re talking about him, but he can’t quite grasp any meaning through the alcohol currently swimming in his veins.

Ed swings an arm under his and starts walking him out of the kitchen. “Mate, think you’ve had enough.”

“But the game,” Louis slurs. “Wanna win.”

Ed chuckles. “Mate, you’re not gonna win a drinking game with Niall. Especially not one that involves Ireland.”

Ed deposits him on a couch. “Where’s Harry?” He hears Ed ask someone nearby.

Louis can vaguely hear Zayn’s voice reply. Something about Grimmy?

“Yeah, he disappeared with Nick a while ago,” Liam interjects.

Louis curls up on a corner of the couch, pressing his cheek into its softness. Why does Liam sound distressed? This couch is so lovely and plush. He should sit here and rub his face on it like Louis. “Limaaaaa, come ‘ere. Come put yer face on this couch. ‘S soft.”

Niall makes a loud, rude sound. “Don’t get your knickers in a twist over that. If anything, Grimmy’s got a secret crush thing going on for Lou. Listen, we need to regroup here, people. What if they’re planning something? What if it’s tonight?”

Louis has no idea what they’re talking about, so he should probably just close his eyes and rest for a bit on this lovely, lovely couch. He’s never leaving this couch. They’re going to have to carry this couch out of the house with him still on it. He seems to drift off a bit, his friends still arguing about something, as he imagines the couch with wheels rolling him from place to place.

He feels someone pat his cheek, and then hears Zayn laugh. “No, I don’t think anyone is proposing tonight. At least not anymore. It’s not even midnight, and Lou is passed out on the couch.”

“ ‘em not,” Louis tries to say, but he can’t be sure he said it aloud. He suddenly feels strong arms close around him and warm lips pressed to his temple. He smiles as he leans into a touch as familiar as his own.

He recalls the blur of noise, the party horns, the cheers, a champagne scented kiss. And then, suddenly they’re home and Harry gently removes his clothes for him and he’s snuggled up against Harry’s strong body. Harry’s face presses against him as he leaves a soft kiss on his chest, and he hears a low murmur that sounds something like “I can’t wait to marry you.” He drifts off to sleep with his arms wrapped around Harry, soft curls pressed under his chin. Harry, his Harry.

***

“Rise and shine, love!” Harry says brightly as he flings the duvet off Louis’ sleeping form.

The only response is an indistinct grumble. After a moment, Louis’ hand reaches out, searching for the duvet. Harry sits on the bed and taps his hand. “Sorry, love. I need you to get up.”

Louis’ hand finds Harry’s body. He scooches himself over to plaster himself against the warmth.  Harry backs away off the bed. “I’ll make you a fry up if you get up now.”

One blue eye cracks open. “How about I give you a blow job in return for giving me the duvet back?”

“Mmmmm. Tempting, but no,” he says with a light slap across Louis’ bum. “Come on, Lou. We have a big day planned.”

Louis is silent for a moment. Harry can almost hear his mind trying to work through what day it is. “New Year’s Day?” Louis half sits up.  “Fuck’s sake, why are you waking me up early on New Year’s Day anyway?”

“It’s almost noon, Lou. That’s not early.”

“It is if you maybe drank a little too much the night before.” Louis pauses. “Wait, what are our big plans?”

“You’ll see,” Harry smiles mysteriously. “Now get up. People should be arriving in an hour.”

Harry dresses with care as Louis stirs in the bed. His fingers tremble a bit as he buttons up a light blue jacquard print shirt. It’s Louis’ favourite on him. He pats his pocket for reassurance. Yes, it’s there. When he glances towards the bed, Louis is finally sitting up, looking at him curiously.

“I love that shirt on you,” Louis says simply.

“I know,” he says with a blinding smile. “I’ll start making you something to eat if you like. If you want to take a shower.”

“Sure.”

Harry can feel Louis’ eyes linger on him as he leaves the room. His heart is pounding a bit in anticipation, but he tries to calm himself as he prepares Louis’ favourite breakfast. All the other preparations are made. This is all that’s left to do.

Louis saunters in, finally, his hair still damp. He’s wearing a sinful grey jumper, his collarbones peeking out a bit on one side. Harry eyes him and thinks about how amazing it is that a jumper could cause scandalous thoughts just because it’s being worn by Louis. Louis seems to know what he’s thinking. “Ehm, thought I’d wear something you like as well. Don’t know what we’re doing, but thought you’d maybe want me to look nice.”

“You always look nice,” Harry replies as he plates some of the food. “But that jumper makes me want to bend you over the table.” He smiles as Louis chokes a bit on his tea.

Louis coughs to clear his lungs. “So no clues about what we’re doing yet then?”

“Well, we aren’t leaving the flat, so we aren’t technically going anywhere.”

“Okay, so do you want me to guess? Or maybe I could just slide off my jeans and pants right here. Wear just this jumper you seem to like so much while you wrap your gorgeous legs around me and ride me on this chair?”

Harry screeches the spatula across the pan and one of the sausages rolls out and falls onto the floor. He clears his throat. “Well, it’s your own fault you only get one sausage now.”

Louis waggles his eyebrows. “Oh, I think I may still end up with more than one sausage in my mouth today.”

Harry honks out a laugh. “You’re terrible.”

Of course, Niall is the first person to show up at the door. They hear a key that no longer works being jostled in the door and some cursing before a few loud thumps. As soon as Harry unlocks it, the door bursts open nearly smacking him in the face.

“You really need to get that lock fixed, mate. But anyway, what’s going on? Why am I here?” He demands as soon as he enters the flat. “Why did you send me a cryptic text at arse o’clock in the morning?”

“Shhhh. Louis is in the kitchen.” Harry shushes him. “You wanted to be part of this, remember? So shut up and just act normal. Or as normal as you can possibly manage.”

“Oh god. OH GOD! So it’s happening? IT’S HAPPENING!” Niall exclaims as he begins pacing the room.

“Niall, I swear, I will throw you out of this flat myself if you ruin this. Just be quiet and I promise it will all be fine.”

Niall stares at him, his eyes wide. “Right. Okay. Right. Fine. It’s fine.” He chews a fingernail and sits on a chair.

Zayn and Liam arrive next. They can see by the look on Niall’s face exactly what’s about to happen. “Oh god, it’s happening, isn’t it?” Liam asks.

“Just shut up the both of you and act cool, damn,” Zayn says. “Don’t ruin anything for fuck’s sake.”

Harry narrows his eyes. “How do you both know what’s happening?”

Three faces suddenly turn innocent as they look up at Harry from the couch. Harry frowns. “Fucking Niall,” he grumbles as he goes to answer the next knock at the door. His mum and Gemma have arrived, and he gets kisses from them and answers more questions as he ushers them inside. Ed comes next as Louis finishes eating and plops down next to Zayn, insisting he doesn’t know what’s happening either. Over the next thirty minutes a few more friends arrive and Louis’ mum and some of his sisters. Finally, Nick appears at the door with a wide smile and a twinkle in his eye and a tight hug for his best friend. “It’s all set,” he says, and Harry sighs a bit in relief.

The room buzzes with voices. He can sense the underlying current of curiosity in everyone’s tones, but he searches out the only one who matters. He wonders if Louis already knows what’s about to happen, and he suddenly realizes how little the actual proposal matters. He was always going to ask Louis to marry him, and Louis was always going to say yes, ever since they were eighteen.  And now he looks across the room into the most beautiful blue eyes he’s ever had the privilege to look upon, and he wonders why he didn’t ask years ago.

It’s time.

He sends Nick a text with a single blue heart emoji. Nick sends him one back of a thumbs up. From across the room he sees Nick type something out quickly on his phone and hook it up into their speaker dock. Nick fiddles with the phone a bit until the strains of Radio 1 can barely be detected over the noise of their friends and family.

Harry clears his throat. “Hi! Ehm, thanks for coming.” The room quiets down. His friends glance at each other nervously.  A few people notice the radio is on and look at it and then back at Harry. “I have some really exciting work news. Only Louis really knows that I’ve been interested in a promotion at AnOther. And I found out very recently that I’ve been promoted.” Everyone starts to congratulate and applaud him. “Wait, wait! I mean, thank you. But that’s not the reason I’ve asked you all to be here today. Well, not the only reason.” Nick suddenly turns the radio up louder and Harry quiets. Everyone listens to the radio as Scott Mills says, “We have a very special request that was taped from our own Nick Grimshaw that I’ll play for you now!” And then, suddenly the room is filled with Nick’s voice and then his own.

“So my friend Harry, best friend actually, has asked a giant favour of me, and since he IS my best friend, no matter what our friend Niall might say contrary to that, I’m happy to do it for him. Listeners, you, in fact, already know my dear friend, Harry. I can now exclusively reveal that he and his boyfriend are the inspiration for Ed Sheeran’s hit song, “18.” Harry and his boyfriend, Louis, have indeed been in love since they were eighteen. Harry, would you like to say something before I play your request?”

“Yes, I would.” Harry finds it strange to hear his deep voice on the radio. He listens as he hears himself say, “I would like to dedicate this song to the love of my life, Louis Tomlinson. I just accepted a fantastic promotion to be the new photographic director of AnOther Magazine, which means I won’t have to travel so much, like I do now. I promise to be a great husband, the kind he deserves, if he’ll have me.” Harry carefully situates himself on one knee in front of Louis with a ring positioned between two fingertips. He hears the room gasp just before he hears his voice on the radio say, “Louis William Tomlinson, will you marry me?”

The room and the radio are silent for a few brief moments, just as Harry asks, “Please, Lou?” from his position at Louis’ feet.

Louis’ face transforms into the most beautiful sight Harry’s ever seen. His smile brighter than any sun in any galaxy, his eyes shine with emotion and crinkle in the corners until they’re nearly closed. “Of course!” Louis shouts as he throws himself into Harry’s arms, nearly tackling him to the floor. “I can’t believe you did this, Harry.” Everyone begins exclaiming and crying at once. Harry slips the ring onto Louis’ finger as their song plays on the radio.

“Looks nice there on your finger. Much better than in the box,” Harry murmurs into Louis’ ear as they sway gently to the music.

Louis smiles and softly sings along.

            _I have loved you since we were eighteen_

_Long before we both thought the same thing_

_To be loved and to be in love_

As the song ends they hear Scott Mills say, “Well, I’ve just received a text from Grimmy, and he says that Louis said yes! Congratulations to the happy couple! And Happy New Year to all our listeners!”

The next few hours are filled with the joy and happiness of their loved ones—and Niall.

“Let me just say that you both had me worried for a bit,” Niall says with a relieved laugh. “Ah. All I can say is thank god. Hardly slept these last few nights, up worrying Lou was breaking up with you.”

“What?!” Harry asks.

“What?” Louis asks.

“Don’t matter. I should have known that your arms were made for holding each other. You know, like the song? Yeah. But no worries. I had my eye on Grimmy the entire time. On watch, me. Just to make sure nothing bad happened. Don’t think I don’t notice the way he eyes Louis’ delightful bum--.”

“Uh, thanks, I guess then, Ni.”

“You’re welcome.”

***

When the last of their guests finally depart, Harry closes the door behind them and sags against it.

“So you were breaking up with me, huh?” he asks as he watches Louis return a chair to the kitchen.

“Yeah, leaving you for Grimmy apparently,” Louis calls over his shoulder.

Harry follows him into the kitchen. As Louis sets down the chair, Harry manhandles him into it. “Might be hard to leave if I’m sitting in your lap,” he says as he straddles Louis in the chair.

“Might never want to get up,” Louis agrees, his eyes wide and gleaming.

“Can’t wait until you’re mine,” Harry says as he lowers his lips to Louis.

“I always was.”

***

 

Please reblog if you liked it! And come talk to me anytime on tumblr!

**Tumblr post:[haven't you heard](http://allwaswell16.tumblr.com/post/154980261371/havent-you-heard-by-allwaswell16-for-suspendrs)**

 

 

** Original prompt:  **

_person 1 plans out an elaborate and beautiful day for New Year's Eve, and plans to propose to person 2 at the end of the night, but as the day goes on, his plans keep getting messed up in increasingly more ridiculous ways. The proposal ends up being rushed and much more messy than planned, but person 2 still says yes anyways._

 

I obviously changed the prompt a bit to take place over the course of a few weeks. And I let poor Harry have a romantic proposal for Louis. xx

**Author's Note:**

> I am so very grateful to my long suffering best friend and beta taggiecb. realitybetterthanfiction and phdmama, thank you for looking this over for me as well! yousopugly, thank you so much for Brit picking this for me! You are a lovely gem of a person to do favours for strangers! To the Squadron: thank you for your support. Always. xx


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